Self-feeding hammer.



Patented Aug. I, 899. 6. H. CRAIG.

RH n m An "w.. Gm mm m m Ei U Em S {No Model) 11-" H H U U U ru u M n u u u 1 r H nn 1!!! l? //v VENTOH By M7 ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES CLARENCE HENRY CRAIG,

PATENT OFFICE.

OF BOULDER, COLORADO.

SELF-FEEDING HAMMER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters 'Patent No. 629,773, dated August 1, 1899. Application filed May 24, 1898. Serial No. 681,550. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLARENCE HENRY CRAIG, of Boulder,- in the county of Boulder and State of Colorado, have invented a new and Improved Self-Feeding Hammer, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved self-feedin g hammer which is simple and durable in construction and arranged to bring the nails, tacks, or like articles successively into proper position for first temporarily securing or sticking the nail in place on a horizontal, inclined, or vertical part and to allow of subsequently driving it home in a convenient manner. I

The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, vforming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indioate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improvement, with part in section. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the forward end of the improvement with one of the handle-sections removed. Fig. 3 is a similar view of the same with parts in a different position and the nails in place. Fig. i is a transverse section of the improvement on the line i 4. ofFig. 1, and Fig. 5 is a plan view of the spring-pressed nail-holder,

The improved self-feeding hammer is provided with a hammer-head A, secured with its shank on the forward end of a handle B,

preferably made in two longitudinal sections bolted or otherwise fastened together. The handle B is formed with a longitudinally-extending nail-track B, into which the nails, tacks, or like articles 0 are placed successively through an inclined channel B formed in the outer end'of the handle, as indicated in Fig. 1. The nails or tacks O slide along the track B when the handle assumes an inclined position, the hammer A being downward, and the forward nails pass over the segmental end B of the track to the claw end ii) of a. holder D, pivoted at D on the forward end of the handle B, near the bottom thereof,

as is plainly indicated in the drawings. The holder D is pressed on at its tail D by a spring E, curved upwardly and downwardly in a forward direction under a curved shoulder B forming part of the handle B. V

The forward and split ends of the spring E are provided with blocks F for pushing the outermost nail from the end of the curved part B -into the claws D of the holder whenever said holder swings into an open position, as indicated in Fig. 3. The claws D are located directly under the end of the shank of the hammer A and operate in'conjunction with the same to permit of sticking the nail or tack into the article into which the nail is to be driven by the hammer-head A. A retaining-spring G, secured to the shank of the hammer-head, is formed at its free end with an inwardly-extendin g lip G, adapted to pass close to the free end of the claws D, so as to prevent the nail or tackfrom accidentally sliding overthe claws D at the time the pushing-blocks F force the tack into position on the said claws of the holder D.

When the several parts are in the position shown in Figs. 1 and '2, then the holder D is closed, and the claws D hold the head of the nail under the endof the shank of the hammer-head, so as to permit of sticking this nail in place on the device on which the nail is to be used. This is done by swinging the hamrner so as to engage the point of the nail or tack C in the material, and then the handle Bis swung upward and backward to cause the head of the nail or tack to exert a downward pull on the claws D, so as to swing the holderD into the position shown in Fig. 3 and release the nail stuck into the material, the spring G yielding sufficiently to permit the head of the nail to pass out from under the end ofthe hammer-shank. At the time that the holder D swings into the position shown in Fig. 3 the forward ends of the spring E move the pushing-blocks forward and force the next nail down upon the claws D, and as the holder now immediately closes by the action of the spring E it is evident that the forward nail passes into proper position, the head being underthe shank of the hammer, the point extending outwardly between the claws D, to permit of sticking the nail into the material, as above explained. g

It is understood that the claws are suinciently far apart for the passage of the shank of the nail or tack, the head of the nail resting on the top of the claws, as shown in Fig. 2.

The segmental part B of the track 1) is formed with ashort extension B as indicated in Fig. 2, so that when thehammer-handle is.

swung upward, as explained, one of the nails passes with its head into the said extension, so as to prevent all the nails in the forward end of the hammer-handle from moving back in the track.

It will be seen that by the arrangement described the nails successively move into position to be first stuck into the material and then afterward driven home with the head of the hammer, so that a large number of nails or tacks can be driven in a very short time and with great accuracy.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A self-feeding hammer provided with a nail-holder,and aspring for holding the holder in a closed position, the end of the spring acting as a pusher on the holder, to bring the nail into proper position on the holder, substantially as shown and described.

2. A self-feeding hammer provided with a hammer-head, a handle carrying the head and formedwith a nail-track, a holder pivoted on the said handle and operating in conjunction with the said head, to hold the nail in position for a preliminary sticking, and a spring on the holder, for holding the same normally in a closed position, the free end of the spring serving as a pusher on the'holder to push the nail into proper place between the holder and hammer-head, substantially as shown and described.

3. A self-feeding hammer provided with a hammer-head, a handle carrying the head and formed with a nail-track, a holder pivoted on the said handle and operating in conjunction serving as a pusher on the holder to push thev nail into proper place between the holder and hammer-head, and a retaining-spring having a lip for holding the nail in place between the hammer-head and holder, substantially as shown and described.

4. In a self-feeding hammer, the combination of a handle having means for carrying the nails to move along the handle, a head attached to the handle,a holder pivotally mou nted on the hammer, and a spring attached to the holder, and serving to normally keep the holder engaged with the head, the holder being capable of swinging to dislodge the nail and of simultaneously pushing the spring to feed the nails.

'5. In a self-feeding hammer, the combination of a handleprovided with means for carrying the nails to move along the handle, a head attached to the handle, a holder pivotally mounted on the hammer, and a spring attached to the holder and bearing against the handle portion adjacent to the head, the free end of the spring having a block thereon to engage the nails as the holder 1noves,whereby to feed the nails.

CLARENCE HENRY CRAIG. lVitnesses:

WM. E. WITHROW, CHRISTOPHER HARVEY. 

